Authorities identify teenager killed in trailer fire near Santa Paula

Authorities have identified the teenager killed when a travel trailer caught fire early Sunday, Nov. 17, outside Santa Paula.

Angel Aguilar, 14, was found dead at the scene, according to investigator Armando Chavez, of the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office. The immediate cause of death was listed as "inhalation of products of combustion and thermal injuries," Chavez said.

The manner of death was determined to be accidental, he said. 

The fire was reported shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday in the first block of Willard Road, on the south side of Highway 126. Willard Road is located east of Santa Paula city limits and cuts through agricultural fields in the area.

The teen had been inside a travel trailer set up next to a house located at the edge of a citrus orchard. The trailer had been covered by a carport, authorities said, although the fire burned so intensely almost nothing was left of the structures. The blaze scorched trees that surrounded the trailer and a car parked next to it.

Ventura County Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze quickly. They found the boy's body inside the trailer, authorities said.

Cause of ignition uncertain

Fire investigators don't know whether there were smoke alarms in the trailer because the damage was so extensive, said Engineer Mike Des Forges of the Ventura County Fire Department on Monday.

Investigators found a space heater in the trailer, Des Forges said, but there was so much damage they couldn't tell whether it had been plugged in or not.

Investigators believe the space heater could be the cause of ignition, Des Forges said. But because of the extensive damage, "we don't know with 100% certainty," he said.

The fire was visible from Highway 126, also called Telegraph Road in the area, and two Good Samaritans who saw flames from the highway called 911 and rushed to the scene to help, officials said.

Gretchen Wenner covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at gretchen.wenner@vcstar.com or 805-437-0270.